People & careers

Meet our People!

Read what our people have to say about their “Life at Lhoist”.

“As a Belgian, it was important for me to work for a Belgian company. Coming from a large international group with shareholders, a family-managed company was very attractive. Soon after I joined, I discovered the big benefits of working for a smaller organization. It’s quick and easy to interact with various functions and hierarchical levels. Also, many career paths open up which you’re encouraged to pursue. Not only is Lhoist “human-sized” but also “human-minded”, which means competences are at least as important as your initial degree. This is a company that values employees; ‘giving people a chance’ to grow if they are willing to learn, work hard and seize opportunities. Case in point: after three years as a Corporate Supply Chain Analyst, I received an opportunity to work in the field as a Plant Manager. While it’s was not exactly in line with my resume, this position is a unique challenge which will provide me with priceless experience. To prepare me for my new role, I spent over six months in another plant of the division. It’s great to work for a company that invests in its employees.”

“In business for over a century, it could be very easy to mistake Lhoist for an inflexible incumbent, stuck in its ways and mired in tradition. While the organization has a deep heritage, it builds on this in a positive way, seeking new opportunities and markets for growth. We are constantly challenged to think about lime and minerals from a broader and global perspective. This means considering the availability of raw materials, natural resources and fuels, integrated logistics and potential applications and consumer markets. I use what I learn and discover in my day-to-day work as a plant manager. Being involved in all areas of the business and corporate structure really motivates me. Sharing my own expertise with colleagues in my role as course instructor is also gratifying. Far from starting out as a plant manager, I joined the company as a graduate in the role of process engineer. Learning all the time, I have progressively developed and I see the same with colleagues. Support for employee development is what helps make Lhoist so solid. It also works hard to renew itself on an ongoing basis and this creates an exciting place to work.”

“Unlike with other companies, at Lhoist I have the unique opportunity to be in a truly multinational working culture. Every day, I interact with people from different countries and backgrounds. The variety of nationalities I meet brings me in contact with fresh viewpoints and new ways of looking at things. Different approaches can be extremely useful; I enjoy being challenged with them. Occasions for networking abound within the organization as are chances to keep acquiring new skills and competencies. This is true both ‘on the job’ as well as via the vast number of more formal development programs that I am able to take part in. I have not been exposed to this to the same extent elsewhere. Lhoist is full of diverse people and learning from other colleagues’ stories and experiences in invaluable. One of the many things I like about working here is that training is often given by internal experts. A recent flue gas treatment (FGT) event, given by our FGT community, broadened not only my understanding of the general area, but gave me specific insight into FGT and Lhoist. It was inspiring to know I am part of a world leader in the FGT market.”

“From my first contact with Lhoist, it was clear that this is no ordinary place to work. The company has a unique outlook on the market. Designing a winning strategy has enabled Lhoist to gain sustainable competitive advantage. This creates a very stable place to work; something I value. While short-term profitability is important, panic budget cuts and layoffs that plague other companies just don’t happen. Lhoist plans for the long term. During my initial interview, it was clear that the managers I met were proud of where they work. Their outlook impressed me. They also gave me a peek at the rich culture I would find should I choose to work here. I did. Not only have I experienced a dynamic workplace, but I am now as fulfilled as the people I met at the outset. Lhoist has proven to be a very ethical and results-oriented enterprise. Expectations are high, this generates a pleasantly competitive environment in which we are free to make our own decisions. My training period involved spending time in every department; quarry, maintenance, planning, warehouse, quality, production and shipping. No longer am I an outsider to the lime business, I have a solid basis and expansive understanding of the industry. With substantial support from the company, I am preparing to take on a new role.”

“Before joining Lhoist, I worked with a Fortune 500 company where I was identified as a so-called high-potential employee. Despite the firm’s noted ambitions for me, I was not given the same opportunities I have enjoyed here. In less than a year, I have visited almost all active plants in the US. I have attended classes run by leading specialists in their area of expertise to explain the history and uses of lime, its geology, production processes and equipment required, chemistry and much more. The organization is dedicated to ensuring that every employee truly understands its business and can fulfill their role optimally. Regular contact with senior management is the norm, I have even had lunch with the CEO. Lhoist truly cares about its employees and how they are developing. International assignments are available at a much earlier career stage than would have been possible with my previous employer. I’m even learning French thanks to Lhoist.”

“I believe that Lhoist is a company that considers its people to be its most important asset, making my role as HR Manager extremely rewarding. Overall, I am a business partner involved in a variety of facets to help leaders meet people needs, as well as providing legal and financial advice. This is especially important now that I am working at one of our startup operations.

Day to day, I am tasked with finding new employees to help the organization continue to grow and reach its goals. Other responsibilities include working through employee issues and concerns which on a practical level means ensuring compliance with regulations, offering counsel and advice on performance, and more. An HR Manager strives to maintain positive working relationships and a pleasant environment for all. To keep its place at the forefront of the lime sector, Lhoist takes its responsibility toward the development of its people extremely seriously.

A large part of my role involves fostering a success-oriented, accountable environment where employees can thrive. It’s a task that I thoroughly enjoy. It is also important that all functional teams work closely and are kept aligned, with the unique objective to guarantee sustainable value.

People make it happen! We can create a brilliant strategy and implement the best processes, but without a talented and dedicated team, we will not succeed."

“With a degree in Finance and having concentrated on Finance and International Management during my education, it would have been very easy for me to have remained with this as a focus throughout my career. Not so with Lhoist. While I use what I learned during my studies daily, I was also able to expand my areas of expertise and quickly grow into what is more of a leadership role. In just 1.5 years, I moved from my initial responsibilities as Administrative and Finance Director to General Management. I provide a clear vision, mobilize, align and empower teams to focus on and solve common challenges. My position allows me to partner with external stakeholders, to represent Lhoist and create growth opportunities. It also brings me into contact with all parts of the business, which is both enlightening and inspiring. One of my greatest experiences has been to be part of the team that transformed our plant into one of the largest lime operations in Southern Europe .”

“After completing my studies in Chemical Engineering, I became an intern in the company’s Research & Development department in my home country of Brazil . Following this extremely interesting experience, I decided to pursue my career with the company. This gave me the chance not only to substantially broaden my knowledge of lime and milk of lime, but also to take an international assignment in Europe where I gained experience at Lhoist’s corporate Research and Development department in Belgium and in one of the company’s largest plants in Germany.

Gaining this extensive expertise across the Group led to a promotion as technical sales manager in Brazil . Using my knowledge and competencies, I support colleagues in the field who are helping customers use our solutions in the best way possible.”

"Looking for a career where I could develop and learn and also work across functional boundaries proved a challenge. That is until I found Lhoist.

In my position, I am exposed to and work with all functional areas within the enterprise, from New Business Development to IT and HR. My main responsibilities include managing the capital expenditures of our business unit and dealing with the ins and outs of more than 200 active projects. These may be local or have a global scope. Our team is responsible for every phase of project management, including all major construction and electrical ventures. We study and implement initiatives for the entire business to meet client needs, which can vary from capacity expansions to improved product handling systems. I am stretched daily. Already very familiar with the business, I still have more to learn. Lhoist is a dynamic company that is constantly looking for new markets, applications and opportunities for our products. This makes it an extremely exciting place to work."